Robo Machine
Encyclopedia
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
from 1982 to 1988. The line was initially a European release of their Machine Robo
Machine Robo
is a Japanese transforming robot toyline first released in 1982 by Popy, a division of Bandai, then later by Bandai proper. The franchise was marketed as Robo Machine in Europe, and Machine Men in Australia...
line, before gradually becoming the counterpart to Tonka’s
Tonka
Tonka is an American toy company most known for its signature toy trucks and construction equipment.-History:On September 18, 1946 Mound Metalcraft was created in Mound, Minnesota with three men as partners, Lynn Everett Baker , Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch. The first products produced by...
Gobots
Gobots
Gobots was a line of transforming robot toys produced by Tonka from 1983 to 1987, similar to Transformers. In 1991, the Gobots range was acquired from Tonka Inc. by Hasbro.-History:...
line. The line appeared in the UK, France and Germany, amongst others.
Early years
The line was initially a straight import of the Machine Robo line, with the ‘600 Series’ and other figures released on blister cards, and featuring the literal designations than adorned the Japanese toys. The toy codes were also retained, though the “MR” abbreviation was reversed as “RM”. The packaging of larger figures revealed a back story along the lines of the Japanese series, with the Machine Robo mecha being used to defend Earth from the alien Devil Invaders. The Battle Suits were also issued at this stage.GoBots
In 1983, TonkaTonka
Tonka is an American toy company most known for its signature toy trucks and construction equipment.-History:On September 18, 1946 Mound Metalcraft was created in Mound, Minnesota with three men as partners, Lynn Everett Baker , Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch. The first products produced by...
purchased the rights to distribute Machine Robo in America, and began refashioning it into the GoBot line. Bandai began to adapt elements of this line, notably the idea of the mecha being individual robots and naming them (generally using the GoBot names). During this phase, a wider range of figures were issued, including the Super GoBots, Puzzler and the playsets. Later on, as the animated Challenge of the GoBots
Challenge of the GoBots
Challenge of the GoBots is an American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, based on the Gobots toy-line released from Tonka. Most of the toys were imported from the Japanese Machine Robo toy line. The show originally debuted in animated form as a five-part miniseries, which aired in...
series began appearing in Europe, the line went through a period of rebranding, becoming known by a variety of names, including Challenge of the GoBots – A Robo Machine Product or Robo Machine featuring Challenge of the Gobots. The line began to parallel the American one more closely (with American names being used on all figures), and gradually petered out after that range failed.
Media
Main Article Robo Machines (comic)Robo Machines (comic)
The Robo Machines was a comic serial which ran in Eagle from 10 November 1984 to 27 July 1985. It was based on the Bandai toyline of the same name, the British version of Gobots.-Background:...
The only true Robo Machines media produced in Europe was a comic serial
Robo Machines (comic)
The Robo Machines was a comic serial which ran in Eagle from 10 November 1984 to 27 July 1985. It was based on the Bandai toyline of the same name, the British version of Gobots.-Background:...
in the British Eagle
Eagle (comic)
Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
comic, which ran from 10 November 1984 to 29 July 1985. This depicted the battle between Ex-El’s Security Forces and Stron-Domez’ criminal Robo Machines. As the comic went on, GoBot terms such as Guardian began to appear. The main human character, Charlie Bampton, appeared later in the series, and was shown to possess the powers of ESP and telekinesis. Later media tied in more closely with the Challenge of the GoBots continuity.
Differences from Japanese & American Lines
- Some figures from the Japanese line were released in Europe that didn’t come out in America – three of the Double Machine Robo were issued as Combinators, while the Deluxe vehicles from Bandai’s Zenmai Kahen Winch Robo line were also issued. Both of these ranges came without individual names, thought the Toyota New Hi-Lux is often referred to as "The Winch" or "Winch Robo".
- Several colour schemes were different from the American releases – figures such as Slicks, Herr FiendHerr FiendHerr Fiend is the name of a fictional character from the various Gobots series. He is an evil Renegade scientist, and is also known as Doctor Go. -Gobots:...
and Night Ranger were issued in their Japanese schemes, while several others, such as Gunnyr and Carry-All were given brand new schemes. - MR-45, the Blackbird Robo, was originally scheduled to be part of the Gobot line as the Renegade Snoop, but failed to appear in the toyline despite the character featuring in the cartoon seriesChallenge of the GoBotsChallenge of the GoBots is an American animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera, based on the Gobots toy-line released from Tonka. Most of the toys were imported from the Japanese Machine Robo toy line. The show originally debuted in animated form as a five-part miniseries, which aired in...
. Initially the toy was released in Europe as Sky-Spy. - Bandai used the Robo Machine brand for a number of robot toys, many with minimal connection to Gobots - a motorised, remote controlRemote controlA remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
non-transforming Bandai robot was issued under the banner, named as the Robot Arm Machine; non-transforming remote control robot was issued as Robot Kong. Toys from the Godiakin and Dancougar lines were issued with the branding too. - Several figures were given different names to their American counterparts:
{|
| valign="top" |
{|
| Gobot Name|| Robo Machine Name||
|----
| Wrong Way|| Sky Gun||
|----
| Twin Spin|| Carry-All||
|----
| Road Ranger
Road Ranger (Gobots)
Road Ranger is a fictional character from the various Gobots series and later became part of the Transformers series. He is a heroic Guardian Gobot who turns into a semi-truck and was introduced in 1984.-Gobots:...
|| Truck||
|----
| Vamp|| Casmodon||
|----
| Pincher|| Falgos||
|----
| Scorp|| Zarios||
|----
| Bad Boy|| Tank-Bust||
|}
However, later in the line these would fall in line with the American standard.
- Similarly, several assortments were renamed – the Powersuits were known as Battle Suits, while the names Puzzler (combining robots) and ZodZod (Gobots)Zod is a fictional character in the Gobots and Machine Robo story and toy line.-Gobots:Zod is a giant, even among his fellow Gobots. Savage and beastial, he is one of Cy-Kill's most powerful weapons. Zod is considered the "Godzilla" of the Gobots....
('action' figures) were used as subset names.
Revival
Main Article Robo MachinesRobo Machines
Robo Machines was a short-lived European transforming robot toyline released by Bandai from late 1992 to 1993. It was meant as an attempt to revive the European Robo Machine toyline that ran from 1982 to approximately 1988...
In 1993, Bandai attempted to relaunch the line as Robo Machines, using toys from the Machine Robo CG Robo line, as well as some from the 1980s series. Due to all the Gobot trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
s being owned by Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, the figures were largely issued with designations once again, rather than names. It was not a financial success, and was cancelled after one year.